We at NerdLeaks have been following a striking rumour that, if true, would have seen Ubisoft Milan pitching a very different kind of The Legend of Zelda spin-off. According to Eurogamer, which credits reporting from Insider Gaming, the studio behind Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope allegedly came close to greenlighting a project called Project Goliath — only for Nintendo to ultimately walk away.
What Was Reported
Per Eurogamer, Ubisoft Milan began developing a pitch in 2022, shortly after the launch of Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope. The report claims the team, led creatively by Davide Soliani, worked through the winter to produce “what they deemed the perfect pitch” for a new The Legend of Zelda spin-off codenamed Project Goliath.
Allegedly the pitch originally centred on a brand-new protagonist, but Nintendo reportedly liked the concept and asked the team to swap that protagonist for Link’s archnemesis — Ganondorf. Work continued on the prototype after that change, but the story goes that in November 2023 Nintendo rejected the prototype and the project was shelved. The reasons behind Nintendo’s refusal are described as unclear.
After Project Goliath was reportedly killed, discussions between Nintendo and Ubisoft are said to have continued briefly about other ideas — rumours mentioned everything from a new Star Fox project to another Mario spin-off — but talks apparently began to break down “between late 2023 and early 2024.” With the collaboration ended, members of the team were allegedly dispersed across Ubisoft and Davide Soliani, a 25‑year veteran at that point, decided to leave and form his own studio, Day 4 Night.
Notable Additions And Aftermath
- Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope is described in the report as having modest sales, yet it sparked follow-up discussions.
- Following the cancelled pitch, Ubisoft Milan is said to be collaborating with Ubisoft Montpellier on Rayman Legends Untold.
The Source & Credibility
We’re relying on Eurogamer's coverage of reporting sourced to Insider Gaming. Take this with a pinch of salt: the account is presented as coming from “sources familiar with the discussions,” and Eurogamer frames several parts of the timeline as alleged. If true, the account paints a picture of an ambitious internal pitch that won initial interest from Nintendo but ultimately failed to convince.
It’s worth noting the report says the ultimate reasons for Nintendo’s rejection “remain unclear.” That uncertainty matters. We can’t verify development builds, internal memos, or the exact creative exchanges between the companies — only the sources cited in the report claim those details.
What It Could Mean
If the outline in Eurogamer is accurate, there are a few big-picture takeaways. First, Ubisoft Milan apparently had the appetite to attempt a bold reimagining of a Nintendo franchise beyond the existing crossover formula — a significant creative gamble after the modest commercial performance of Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope. Second, Nintendo’s reported request to replace a bespoke protagonist with Ganondorf suggests Nintendo exercised strong editorial control over how its IP might be represented.
For fans who like to speculate about character-centred spin-offs, the rumour adds fuel to long-standing conversations around villain-led stories. If true, the idea that a Ganondorf-fronted spin-off reached prototype stage is notable, and it’s one reason we linked our earlier coverage on Ganondorf. The notion of notable talent being involved in Ganondorf-related projects has floated around elsewhere too — see our mention of Uli Latukefu in a different rumour context — which, while unrelated, shows persistent industry interest in the character.
Finally, the reported fallout — with staff dispersed and a high-profile creative like Davide Soliani departing to form Day 4 Night — would be a reminder that even promising pitches can have significant real-world consequences for teams when collaborations end.
Why This Matters
Whether or not every detail holds up, the rumour matters because it suggests major publishers and Nintendo are still open to unusual experiments with their IPs — even if those experiments don’t always make it past the prototype stage. If true, the tale of Project Goliath offers a rare peek at how one proposed spin-off might have tried to subvert expectations by centring a villain like Ganondorf.
We’ll keep tracking this story and any further confirmations or denials. For now, treat these claims as alleged and intriguing rather than settled fact — the kind of inside-baseball rumour that, if verified, could reshape conversations about who gets to lead a AAA franchise’s story.
